Watching the watchers! Gonna have some fun!

[Grandpa Shooter]

For those of you unfamiliar with our situation, let just say we have a place on a side of a mesa.  Our property goes almost to the top of the mesa and is above the valley floor.

Recently I noticed a glint of light from part way across the valley floor on another dirt road, maybe a third of a mile away.  With the sun being at my back it stuck out like a beacon.  I went into our place and picked up a pair of small binoculars and came out and took up a position behind a juniper and checked out the glint.  Lo and behold, someone was over there looking our way.  Earlier this week the same thing happened.  My wife saw it too.

Within the last two weeks our dogs keep getting spooked by something, or someone on the side of the mesa to the side and behind us.  I have gone out there repeatedly and have yet to see anything, or one.  I did find some large size footprints with no really distinguishable tread pattern today, but it has not rained recently so it could be my big foot stepson, who was here a couple of weeks ago.

I am tired of the constant alerts from the dogs and the watcher from across the valley.  Lady Shooter is leaving next week to help our daughter in law move to Kentucky to be with our son, Paul before he is re-deployed.  I should have my work projects finished up by then, so I am gonna play spook and see what I can discover about the watcher, and the dogs upset about what ever is up on the mesa.  It will be just me and the dogs, so setting up a watch station that will cover both points of interest should be easy.  I have had my eye on a couple of good watch stations for awhile now, so I will develop them and see what is to be seen.  I brought my spotting scope over from the cabin so I should be able to see quite well.

I don't like things that go bump in the night, or being followed or watched, so it should be a fun week!

[kgbsquirrel]

Hmm, setup some concealed deer cameras around the edges of your property? Got a telescope perhaps, to better see who it is over there? What is the magnification of your spotting scope?

[jdoc]

They know your watching and have radioed the black helicopters  .  

 Seriously tho I hope it's nothing serious and you can deal with it properly......good luck.
  Keep us posted as too what you find and how things go.

[RocketMan]

Anyone down your way that can watch your six?  A little help might be a good thing.

[Grandpa Shooter]

We are off the grid in an area which the county ignores.  We have no services, including fire, police and emergency medical.  That is the good part.  There are some less than sociable folks out here and generally things are pretty quiet.  We have had some new folks show up so traffic has increased.  Last year we had maybe 5 vehicles a day, now it is at least twice that.  Far busier than I like.

I am not paranoid as some of you might like to believe.  I have had enough real life experience to know when things are not "right" in my neighborhood.  I don't mind an occasional out of the ordinary event, but when they start piling up, particularly on a regular schedule, I believe it is time to investigate.  The dogs respond to something every mid afternoon and again around 7:45 PM.  Both times I saw the glint, it was around 2 PM on a Tuesday.  Coincidence, maybe, but I doubt it.

[Perd Hapley]

Suspicious glints seen from across the valley floor...

A lone cowboy scouting the countryside for sign...

Circling around on the enemy and surveilling him from behind his own position...


We got us a Louis L'Amour novel playing out for us here, folks.  Keep your gun hand free, Gramps.   

[Balog]

Any relation to that weed issue you had a while back?

[PTK]

Any relation to that weed issue you had a while back?

My thinking, too... be safe, you hear? 

[Viking]

Claymores. Now.

[HankB]

We have no services, including fire, police and emergency medical.  That is the good part. 

No police? Does that mean you have carte blanche to deal with the situation as you want? 

Hmmm . . . back hoe . . . quick lime . . . canvas . . . cool!


 

[kgbsquirrel]

No police? Does that mean you have carte blanche to deal with the situation as you want?  

Hmmm . . . back hoe . . . quick lime . . . canvas . . . cool!


 

[Fly320s]

Hmmm... 1/3 mile = 580 yards-ish.

Got rifle and skill?

[Monkeyleg]

[joe pesci voice]A lot of holes in the desert, and a lot of problems are buried in those holes. But you gotta do it right. I mean, you gotta have the hole already dug before you show up with a package in the trunk. Otherwise, you're talking about a half-hour to forty-five minutes worth of digging. And who knows who's gonna come along in that time? Pretty soon, you gotta dig a few more holes. You could be there all *expletive deleted* night. [/joe pesci voice]

[Jamisjockey]

Enough SSS talk.  Its illegal and I'll shut it down if it continues.

 

Hmm, setup some concealed deer cameras around the edges of your property? Got a telescope perhaps, to better see who it is over there? What is the magnification of your spotting scope?

Thats what I was thinking, too. You've got some locations with possible foot traffic already?
Don't, however, some game cameras use a regular flash?  I'd avoid that.

Any relation to that weed issue you had a while back?

Anyone down your way that can watch your six?  A little help might be a good thing.

+1.  Phone a friend.  Or two.

[kgbsquirrel]

Don't, however, some game cameras use a regular flash?  I'd avoid that.

There should be some night versions that used near infrared (poor mans night vision) and you could also take the standard types and disconnect the flash bulb. If you wanna get real high speed there are remotely connected cameras that you could plant around your property. Then you could watch them in real time.

[Tallpine]

Maybe the dot gov really has been reading your internet posts ... 

[PTK]

Maybe the dot gov really has been reading your internet posts ... 

A few years ago, I would have said "that will never happen, quit being paranoid!"

Now, though.... 

[lee n. field]

Within the last two weeks our dogs keep getting spooked by something,

This being a gunboard, got your piece with you?  I hope the answer is "of course".

[Balog]

I'd start carrying a good rifle, were it me. A lot of those drug runners/meth labs/other random people who live in the middle of nowhere don't mess around.

[TMM]

hmm. this is interesting, and a bit unnerving. when you saw the person across the valley looking at you, was he next to a car or something that glinted or was the glint from binoculars? if it was the latter i'd be concerned.

if i were in your case, i'd do just as you are doing, and perhaps use some game cameras like others have mentioned. stay safe.

what do you plan to do if/when you find someone trespassing?

TMM

[Perd Hapley]

Dust off, and nuke the site from orbit. It's the only way to be sure.

[RocketMan]

what do you plan to do if/when you find someone trespassing?

This is an excellent question, GS.  Have you considered it?

[Mabs2]

Optics reflecting and giving away your position is one of the first things a person out there should learn.  Maybe a hint that they're not pro at whatever they're trying to do.

Not that I'd underestimate anyone.

[Viking]

Optics reflecting and giving away your position is one of the first things a person out there should learn.  Maybe a hint that they're not pro at whatever they're trying to do.

Not that I'd underestimate anyone.

Or they wanted to be seen .

[Mabs2]

Or they wanted to be seen .

Le gasp.